Thanks Paul Harrell!
Hi Paul,
This isn't spam and you haven't won a prize. :)
I'm writing in response to your comment during your interview with Mike Jones (aka Garand Thumb) where you seemed unconvinced if you've made a difference in any of your viewers lives. I've made a living off writing and storytelling, so my apologies if there are too many words here. However, it's a heartfelt story that I hope you might enjoy. Jump to "Short Story" if you just want me to get to the damn point.
Long Story
As a kid growing up outside of New Orleans in the 1970's, I had lots of freedom which included access to guns. I got my first gun, a Savage 410 single shot, with the help of my brother when I was 10 and personally bought my Ruger 10/22 in 1984 (with my Dad's help from a process standpoint) with my own $89. I lived on 4 acres that was against hundreds of acres of woods where I could roam and hunt with my firearms - alone because that was then, and this is now.
I loved my firearms, but I wasn't obsessed and sadly I wasn't given the opportunity to be educated on the things I needed to know to be a competent shooter and safe firearms owner. Fortunately, it was a sparsely populated area, so nobody got hurt (that I know of), but I also grew up thinking I was a terrible marksman and hunter. I blamed me, but upon reflection I'd like to have a chat with that young man to say how in the world did I expect to get those skills without a mentor or lessons? There was no YouTube, and what limited books they had in the library on the subject were intimidating to a kid who just saw books that looked like the bible to him.
Fast forward to 1994, and I'd leave the comfort of the South to move to the Redmond, Washington area to take a job at Microsoft. I wasn't there for long before I quickly realized that this isn't the place where you roam about with your guns and go hunting as you please - or at least that was my impression with my limited exposure to far-left people at Microsoft. As such, my guns effectively got moth balled and eventually I gave away all my ammo to a co-worker who was moving back South to enjoy being free again. Little did I know about the history of this state, or what things were really like outside of suburbia.
Jump ahead to late March 2020 and I had to drive to Shiner, Texas to bury my dad during the huge mess that was covid. I enjoyed some tranquility on Dad's ranch and my son, and I enjoyed shooting with my brother. In fact, I'd learn that my boy seemed to have a natural talent for it as he was plucking quarters at 100 yards within his first 10 minutes of shooting - and this was only his second time ever touching a gun. This got me thinking again, I just sucked as my son was proof you either have it or you don't.
During the drive home my son and I got to talking about shooting and I realized that I never really passed on my passion for plinking and hunting to my kids. We agreed that when we returned back home to be prisoners of our own home due to covid that we'd get a BB/pellet gun and have some fun in the back yard (discharging firearms near homes is illegal here).
We picked up a Daisy 880 pump action as that was the gun I lusted for as an 8-year-old when my friend got his. I got a Daisy Red Ryder that looked cool but could barely hit the side of a barn, it was so bad. In fact, my friend once told me just that and to prove him wrong, I shot the damn barn and still have a tiny scar under my eye where I almost shot my eye out - no kidding!
He was a real marksman with that gun, and I was terrible. I had picked up a Daisy Red Ryder for my oldest child/son years back and he discovered how bad it was, as I had, and his interest in it lasted about 2 days. I didn't want to make that mistake again, so I figured I had better start with "the good stuff" so Kai and I proceeded to our new backyard range with the 880.
Being a dad, I had to sight things in for my son, so imagine my surprise when my first shots in decades were all center bullseye shots from 10 yards offhand! I thought - I'll be damned, that 880 is magical if it can make a marksman out of me!!!
My son and I quickly got the bug and before long assembled a backyard range where we had the best bonding time of our lives up to that point.
After years of being away from firearms, I decided it was time to get back into it and buy my first handgun. Of course, I’d do the most stupid thing ever and buy a cheap snub nosed 38 special revolver, so you can only imagine what that did for my confidence in my shooting skills!
You’d think I was shooting buckshot, but sadly these were my first shots from 10 yards with my new handgun!
Upon telling my older brother about my prized new handgun, he rightfully said “that was stupid, those are really hard to shoot” to which he followed up with “oh well, if you can master that you’ll be an expert at anything”.
Short Story
It was at this point my brother decided to give me a firearms 101 lesson (online since we are in different states), and in that discussion he told me I had to watch this YouTube channel by this shooting expert named Paul Harrell. I was quickly hooked and before I knew it, I was getting in trouble with my wife for spending so much time trying to watch as many of your videos as time would allow.
On September 7th, 2020, I wrote you about cleaning firearms too much and you kindly responded – much to my amazement! I’d become a Patreon supporter and lifetime fan after that!
I went through the same phases a kid goes through with their parents - Paul knows everything to Paul is a Fudd to Paul is smarter than I thought once I listened more carefully to your words (vs the phase of only paying attention to the latest shiny guns or trends).
I laughed and laughed at “How to spot a fake expert” and “Rebuttal” and your message about “the precious” home defense ammo resonates with me to this day. If I don’t have a good supply of an ammo that I’m willing to shoot when I practice, it isn’t worth owning. I ultimately decided on Hornady Critical Defense as my EDC and Home Defense ammo for my own reasons, but I stocked up on it and shoot a mag at least every month in addition to my twice weekly training to make sure it lands where I expect at any distance.
Simply put, you changed the way I think about a lot of things in the firearms space, and you’ve made me a better shooter. You’ve made me look more carefully at those who give advice, and you’ve motivated me to train – a lot – to become the marksman I am today.
I’ve become a good shot and coach a very successful SASP youth shooting team of 30+ kids (split evenly between boys and girls) that has enjoyed multiple National Championships (with thousands of shooters – not just 5 people). I’m proud to say that my son has been on all of those championship squads and enjoys sponsorship from Glock, Lok Grips, Lapua and more now thanks to a lot of hard work. We are also now in talks with Olympic Shooting Gold Medalist Ginny Thrasher with our sights on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
I’ve successfully hit targets with centerfire rifle out to 1000 yards with multiple calibers (first 600 yards shot video
) and can easily shoot out to 400 yards with any caliber rifle – including 22 LR. In fact, I’ve even taken the gun that World & National Champion Nils Jonasson developed and done something he, Erik Cortina, Adam Weiss (Who Tee Who) and others couldn’t accomplish – with them all as my witness – I hit a target at 245 yards offhand with my Canik Rival – on my first try using my Hornady Critical Defense ammo (see video below). It wasn’t luck either, as I had practiced at 200 yards with that same gun and knew how to make that shot and I was confident I could do it again.
My groups have gotten smaller as you can see from these offhand shots from 10 yards with my 9mm pistol, and I’ve become very proficient with a wide range of firearms and calibers.
In fact, I can even stay in the red (mostly) with that 38 special snub nose. I believe a lot of this was possible because of you. I learned from you, I was entertained by you, and I was chasing the bar you set as a safe, and competent marksman.
I was honored to finally get to meet you on July 9, 2021 – the week before my son would win his first National Championship. I was bummed I couldn’t make things happen to get you up to my range where I’m now a level 2 Safety Officer to do the class you suggested during our meeting, but alas it wasn’t meant to be.
I’m deeply saddened by this illness that is taking its toll on you but know that I’m praying for you and your family during this difficult time.
I’ll have that photo and the autographed playing card you gave me during our meeting as a memento of that day. My brother is still jealous about that!
Best wishes my friend – you did make a big difference to my son and I.
Sincerely,
Ron Martinsen
P.S. My son Kai and my brother Hollis are praying for you as well.
P.P.S. Not a week goes by that I'm not educating the world about the definition of the word "offhand" (shooting) thanks to you. You probably know how many people think that is shooting with your left hand only, and not what it really means! You taught me this word, so I use it and educate people on its meaning!
P.P.S. You've influenced my collection as well
